p.9 #1 · p.9 #1 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

I really feel like I have to stand up for Ballistics in this thread. Some of the negative replies he has received are nothing short of group bullying. His questions and comments are being either ignored or taken completely out of context.

Ballistics - if some of the practical concerns you had in your initial post have been answered and you choose to shoot the wedding then good luck to you. If you don't feel confident that the client will be satisfied then turn her down (again!) but please don't be put off by the comments of the negative posters on this thread. The majority of truly talented wedding photographers I follow on this forum are not the ones posting in this thread.

p.9 #2 · p.9 #2 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

I like the OP very much, when i pressure was applied he stood his ground. That tells me he has substance and is ethical, he calls it as he see's it. Compel or Die, Conform or be Oppressed, his One of the 99%

And he should be supported in what is essentially a second marriage, a client who likes his work, and his first wedding.
This Guy is not stupid he took the time to come on here and request feedback, Kudos where Kudos is due.

BTW OP, from a marketing point of view peeps will be tripping over themselves to see pics of this wedding.

Toyota's brakes failed but they sold more cars, Something positive from the Negative, damn a pun intended

p.9 #3 · p.9 #3 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

Guillaume de B wrote:
I really feel like I have to stand up for Ballistics in this thread. Some of the negative replies he has received are nothing short of group bullying. His questions and comments are being either ignored or taken completely out of context.

Ballistics - if some of the practical concerns you had in your initial post have been answered and you choose to shoot the wedding then good luck to you. If you don't feel confident that the client will be satisfied then turn her down (again!) but please don't be put off by the comments of the negative posters on this thread. The majority of truly talented wedding photographers I follow on this forum are not the ones posting in this thread.

p.9 #5 · p.9 #5 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

jofoto photo wrote:
I like the OP very much, when i pressure was applied he stood his ground. That tells me he has substance and is ethical, he calls it as he see's it. Compel or Die, Conform or be Oppressed, his One of the 99%

And he should be supported in what is essentially a second marriage, a client who likes his work, and his first wedding.
This Guy is not stupid he took the time to come on here and request feedback, Kudos where Kudos is due.

BTW OP, from a marketing point of view peeps will be tripping over themselves to see pics of this wedding.

Toyota's brakes failed but they sold more cars, Something positive from the Negative, damn a pun intended ...Show more →

I'm glad that there are members that aren't affected by the mob mentality and can see information for what it actually is.

p.9 #7 · p.9 #7 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

Ballistics wrote:
I would imagine the given things I must do is:

- Scout out the venue, look at my options with light and angles.
- Rent better equipment, and use mine as a backup.
- Set up some a contract.
- Get ideas from other weddings.
- Maybe hire an assistant

But what am I missing? Where do I go from here? If I do this, I want to be as prepared as can besides lack experience.

I offered some advice way back on page 2 but I thought I would add to my initial comment. This is not an exhaustive list by any means but these are several things that come to mind:

1.) Explore this forum. Read, read, and then read some more.
2.) Look for wedding photography resources online (CreativeLive, Kelby Training, ICE Society, FStoppers wedding DVD, etc.)
3.) Look for offline resources. Visit the library, find opportunities to second shoot or be an assistant. Talk with area photographers, join photography groups / clubs, etc.
4.) Develop a contingency plan for in case something happens to you on or before the wedding day. If for example you get hospitalized the night before the wedding and can't fulfill your obligation, you ought to have someone on standby who is ready to fill in.
5.) Make a list of everything that you'll on the wedding day. Include non-photography items to help make your day easier (bottled water, energy bars, Advil or Tylenol, small ladder, pocket knife, wooden hanger, etc.)
6.) Get a second shooter. Meet beforehand and discuss your intended style. Clearly define what their role should be. Determine how they will handover images to you (Are they using your memory cards? Are you downloading their cards onto a laptop? etc.)
7.) Decide what you are going to wear. Talk to the bride and groom about the dress code and determine what is appropriate, yet comfortable.
8.) Find out how the bride and groom are getting between the wedding and reception (if applicable) and if you are riding with them determine how your car and equipment will get from point A to point B.
9.) You said visit the venue already but I'd suggest that you visit it more than once. If you plan to shoot outside certain areas might look different under various weather conditions. Plus chances are you'll see things on a return visit that you didn't spot on the initial one.
10.) Think about how you intend to shoot and light the formals. What about the reception?

Like I said it's not a complete list but hopefully it helps in some way.

p.9 #8 · p.9 #8 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

kwhaley29 wrote:
I offered some advice way back on page 2 but I thought I would add to my initial comment. This is not an exhaustive list by any means but these are several things that come to mind:

1.) Explore this forum. Read, read, and then read some more.
2.) Look for wedding photography resources online (CreativeLive, Kelby Training, ICE Society, FStoppers wedding DVD, etc.)
3.) Look for offline resources. Visit the library, find opportunities to second shoot or be an assistant. Talk with area photographers, join photography groups / clubs, etc.
4.) Develop a contingency plan for in case something happens to you on or before the wedding day. If for example you get hospitalized the night before the wedding and can't fulfill your obligation, you ought to have someone on standby who is ready to fill in.
5.) Make a list of everything that you'll on the wedding day. Include non-photography items to help make your day easier (bottled water, energy bars, Advil or Tylenol, small ladder, pocket knife, wooden hanger, etc.)
6.) Get a second shooter. Meet beforehand and discuss your intended style. Clearly define what their role should be. Determine how they will handover images to you (Are they using your memory cards? Are you downloading their cards onto a laptop? etc.)
7.) Decide what you are going to wear. Talk to the bride and groom about the dress code and determine what is appropriate, yet comfortable.
8.) Find out how the bride and groom are getting between the wedding and reception (if applicable) and if you are riding with them determine how your car and equipment will get from point A to point B.
9.) You said visit the venue already but I'd suggest that you visit it more than once. If you plan to shoot outside certain areas might look different under various weather conditions. Plus chances are you'll see things on a return visit that you didn't spot on the initial one.
10.) Think about how you intend to shoot and light the formals. What about the reception?

Like I said it's not a complete list but hopefully it helps in some way.

p.9 #9 · p.9 #9 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

Dude, I haven't read through the entire thread but I see you have been met with some negativity on this topic. I'm learned over the last couple of years that many pros seem to have a dim view on us amateurs when it comes to doing photography work, or dare I say it, asking pros for advice. It's like we're not good enough or not worthy enough to ask for help. They often have this 'he's trying to steal my lunch' attitude but don't worry about it. You have just as much right to do photo shoots of whatever you like my friend.

In my mind you've done the right thing in asking for advice. As long as you're doing your own research too I don't see the harm in reaching out to your fellow photographers. We're a community after all so we should be more willing to provide support. I think you've also had some great replies in this thread and I agree with the advice you've been given.

Last year I went through a similar process to what you a going through now. The only difference however was that I went looking for a wedding to shoot as I wanted to give it a go and see if I could get into the wedding gig. Here's a link to my threads which may be of help for you...

In short I would just make sure you find out as much about the day as possible from the couple so you can plan accordingly. Definitely visit the venue ahead of time and even take some practice shots to work out where you will position yourself and get your head around lighting and camera settings etc. Do as much research as you can and look at lots of wedding pics on here to get ideas for poses etc. At the end of the day its very important to ensure you set the B&G's expectations and make sure they fully understand and acknowledge your previous lack of wedding experience. If shooting for free (?) I would draw up a contract that stipulates you will accept no liability whatsoever if they are not happy with the pictures you deliver or indeed if something occurs that means you can't deliver any images, just to cover your own ass.

Lastly, you will be very very nervous indeed on the day but just try to slow down and think about what you're doing. Don't get flustered and overwhelmed. You can do this and you can get nice pics, ok.

p.9 #11 · p.9 #11 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

I was asked to shoot a wedding, luckily I was given a lot of time to think about it as it was a year away. This was for my sister in-laws sisters wedding and the groom I also knew through my brother. Initially I said know, but in discussions it turned into a "just think about it".... As I had the year ahead of me I decided that I would only take it on if I could get some experience actually shooting a wedding (apologies I am just an enthusiastic happy snapper). I didn't get anywhere initially and literally just as I was going to say know I got offered a second shooter opportunity. I really enjoyed this and proceeded to shoot 3 more weddings as a second shooter. I was then offered two weddings off the back of this work which I also enjoyed, even though these were both solo jobs! I set expectations for both of these (they were low budget small key affairs) and carried them out for a token fee to basically cover insurance. Both weddings were successful and only then did I present this work to my sister in-laws sister to see if they did still wish for me to shoot their wedding, they did and I eventually covered this on the 29th December last year. It was a challenging day due to weather but the photos have been delivered and they are most happy (phew!).

It's no small thing taking on a wedding, and I intend to shoot more as a second shooter this year but I am not sure I will do any more on my own. People management is what I found to be the most challenging... I know my work isn't up to the standard of a professional wedding photographer, and I made sure that the clients were fully aware of this.

p.9 #18 · p.9 #18 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

jneilosu wrote:
It has nothing to do with a sense of community. It's just people tired of spouting the same shit when all of that is in the stickies or otherwise on a very easily searchable thread.

Really, that is most of is from what I have seen. I know when I started posting here, I could not understand the attitudes at times. But, after I realized how cyclical certain topics were, I began to understand (even though I tend to hold my tongue...er..fingers).

p.9 #19 · p.9 #19 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

I don't ever want people to feel like they should be afraid to ask questions, but if you ask questions I also feel like you should be willing to at least hear the other party's point of view since most are experienced pros. Everyone has different opinions on topics, I get that. Many of the professionals have worked hard to advance as this is not an easy career to maintain since it is saturated with part timers who dont know what theyre doing, one timers who just want to try it out, and certain hobbyists who are doig a disservice to the name of wedding photographers because they don't care about an end product. Now everyone is not like that, so please don't think I am taking a jab at anyone personally. What I am saying is that we get you have to start from somewhere. And FM is a phenomenal place to do so. Understand you are surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and experience and professionals willing to answer rasonable questions. But if you are going to argue at another person's opinion, be argumentative, or not be willing to search for answers to simple questions that are the FIRST TWO posts, well then prepare for a little backlash. We welcome new members and want people to ask questions- but also to show a little respect to those willing to answer. My personal apologies to all those who have a bad taste of FM from my personal responses torward a specific individual. I could have worded things in a nicer tone.

If you are one who really desires to soak up all the information you can, take the time to research, apprentice, learn from others in the industry and be willing to have an open mind- then FM truly welcomes you with open arms and you are most certainly in the right place

p.9 #20 · p.9 #20 · Being asked to shoot a wedding when you aren't a wedding photographer

jneilosu wrote:
Stick around morby. I would say this thread theme is the single most repetitive topic on the forum. After about the 50th time, you want to just say "read the stickies. All of them".

Very little can be added to a thread like this that isn't in the stickies.

It has nothing to do with a sense of community. It's just people tired of spouting the same shit when all of that is in the stickies or otherwise on a very easily searchable thread.

and how many posts were there berating the OP before the sticky was mentioned? Yeah, it's annoying having the same thing posted over and over again, but with an open forum it's going to happen. You're always going to have new members coming in requesting advice on topics that have been covered a billion times. Some of those members have almost no experience with online forums, some will have frequented other forums that might not use stickies....

there's absolutely no reason this thread should have made it 9 pages. Kurtis had the opportunity to point the OP to the sticky in his first post, as a long standing member, he knows it's there, but instead he chose the direction he went.

Maybe there needs to be a mod in here who's more active and who can just link the sticky and close the thread when this kind of thing happens... Or maybe some people need to take a step back and think about how they would want to be treated if they were new to the forum?